Just thinking: the Allure of POWER

JOHN 19:10 – “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Like Pilate said to Jesus “don’t you know I have power over you?”, humans in positions of authority in every single institution (religion, media, economic, political, etc.) have been swept by the allure of power. Apostle John wrote that the things that draw us to sin are “lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life”.

When human consider themselves powerful (without the recognition of God as source – see Deut. 8: 18), the power gets intoxicating. Nebuchadnezzaer and Herod the Great are classic examples, the Sanhedrin council who plotted to have Jesus executed are also example of intoxicating power.

In my lifetime and ministry (faith), I have seen power intoxicate, i’ve seen folks demand respect (you need to see the list of items some itinerant folks ask for) because they have a popular name and some pastors due to the size of their church walk and dress different.

Our natural default as humans is to be corrupted by power, especially if we are new to power and we provide livelihood for many, and those people are afraid of us because they want to maintain their livelihood. All of a sudden, we start demanding things to maintain whatever status we now think we have. Whenever humans think its (the assignment) about them, they are already corrupted by power.

To avoid the allure of power and position, the life of Moses is one to study. Born into slavery, he was put on a raft with 50/50 chance of surviving, the little baby in the raft was found and adopted by the King’s sister making him a royalty (in line to be Pharaoh).

Grew up in the palace and was very productive and liked, he ran afoul of the royals family (and his right to the throne) when he found out he was adopted and tried in his power to save the slaves – this led him to 40 years exile in a far far away land as a shepherd (from being a prince with power).

As soon as he was settled into his new life as a shepherd, God showed up and said, aha – time to go back to Egypt to save the slaves. Savings the slaves made Moses a rock star among the slaves that the Bible said, God did not let them have his physical body (they’ll worship it).

In leading the people for 40 years, Moses knew the people had become dependent on him, even though they were stiff-necked, he also knew that God was often tired of their stubbornness, so he was the arbiter between the people and God. He cautioned the people many times and told God He won’t move if God did not go with them (he won’t move an inch with an angel, only God).

It might interest anyone studying the life of Moses, that he called himself the “most humble man in the world”, yet he NEVER for one minute think his assignment was him, he never moved an inch without God and he knew his source and was not ready to move from it.

Are you in a position of power? study the life of Moses, set rules for yourself, and don’t let the allure of power and position take you on a wrong path at your next crossroad.

– Femi Awodele is the Executive Director of Christian Couples Fellowship International, Inc., a marriage ministry with chapters worldwide based in Omaha, Nebraska, in the United States

-The opinions and views expressed in this article are solely those of the writer/author, and do not necessarily represent or reflect the editorial policy of Headline News Nigeria.